Way to Improve Sadhana #3

Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:44:59 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Viniita Kumar vk3451@dhp.....
Subject: Way to Improve Sadhana #3

Baba

 == WAY TO IMPROVE SADHANA ==
             
 ~ Part 3 ~

(This is the 3rd letter in this series. Links to the first two letters are appended below. - Eds)

Namaskar,
"Parama Purusa gives humans the requisite strength to face problems, resolve them, and proceed on the path. Whatever strength He has given, one should utilize in performing sadhana - sitting idle & asking for His grace will not do. One must put forth proper effort, yet at the same time udnerstand that it is all achieved by His grace. On the path of spirituality, when a sadhaka is involved in sadhana, an aspirant cannot even move one step forward without His grace - what to speak of attaining mukti or moksa. Nobody can achieve the Supreme Rank exclusively by their own doing - no matter how much they try. When one climbs the ladder of devotion, a time comes when one inherently feels the needs to ask for His grace." (Way to Improve Sadhana #2)

        

PARAMA PURUSA LIKES WHAT WE SHOULD ASK HIM

Actually, Parama Purusa likes that we should place such a request before Him: To ask for His grace.

Because, in devotion, love is not unilateral. Rather both parties involved - the Lord and the devotee - have love for one another. And when has love for someone then they like to satisfy their requests.

For example, if a mother has candy then she will certainly share that with her baby. And that will make her happy. But the mother will derive greater happiness if the baby first expresses the desire to have candy, then the mother will surely smile and feel greater joy in giving that candy to the baby. In either case the baby is going to get the candy, but the mother feels more love and joy by hearing the baby's request & then satisfying it.

Same is the case with Parama Purusa in devotional life.

Parama Purusa is going to shower His grace and grant everything (i.e. salvation) to the sadhaka, in the due course. But Baba will feel more pleasure and a greater bliss if the bhakta seeks His help and requests Him to grant more closeness.

This is the way it works, and as stated earlier, it is very natural. When one has love for Him, then the innate desire arises to ask Parama Purusa for something, i.e. devotion, and in satisfying the request Parama Purusa derives greater joy and more pleasure.

This is blissful for both parties: bhakta and Bhagavan.

BABA GRANTING PC

Many say that the whole reason behind Baba's granting PC (personal contact) was to awaken and deepen the devotional link by opening the pathway of communication.

As we all know, in PC Baba would ask all kinds of questions: What is your name, where do you live, how long will you be here, how do you feel, what would you like etc. All kinds of questions Baba would ask. Yet being omniscient, He already knew the answer. His only reason for asking them then was to show that in love, one communicates and asks questions. That is that way relationships grow.

Of course this type of interaction is not limited to PC only.

Baba resides eternally in our heart and mind so during any sleeping or waking moment, we may communicate with Him internally and He will give a response. It is not like our request will go into some deep void beyond. Rather, from our innermost core, we will feel His love and divine vibration. That is His response. One's inner sensitivities and feelings will feel satiated both in asking and in receiving His reply.

So this devotional experience of asking devotion from Parama Purusa is so very important and an absolute need - an emotional need. Without that, one cannot make an inner link with Him - one cannot surrender and create a personal relationship with Him.

Failing that - true happiness will always be at arm's distance, just out of reach, because no worldly gain or pleasure can bring lasting happiness. Only His love can satisfy our heart's desire. His love is infinite and our desires are infinite. So that is the perfect match - both mathematically and more importantly emotionally and devotionally.

THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY CONFUSION

In Ananda Sutram, 3-11 Pra'rthana'rcana' ma'traeva bhramamu'lam, Baba guides us not to ask anything mundane from God. Here Baba is primarily talking about the dogmatic religions.

The dogmatic religions have exploited the situation and capitalised on the emotional needs of their followers. The priests know that their followers feel the need to ask something from their god, but within the religious framework the requests are quite misguided and off the mark.

They ask their god to (a) make our religion successful in battle, (b) grant our people wealth and prosperity, (c) make us the chosen ones, (d) get my daughter married, (e) help my son get accepted into law school, and (f) there are so many requests that dogmatic worshipers place upon their lord.

But such pleas are essentially useless and anti-devotional. It is such type of requests that Baba is rejecting. In Ananda Sutram (3-11) Baba is directing us to never place such selfish & mundane requests to the Lord.

The only thing we are to request from Him is devotion.

Baba says, "Once you realize His grace, then you are in Him, you are totally absorbed in Him, you have become one with Him. That is a total victory. That is the final victory. " (Ananda Vacanamrtam - 31, Dharma Sádhaná)

Namaskar,
Viniita

Note 1: EARLIER LETTERS IN THE SERIES

 #1: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/way-to-improve-sadhana.html

#2: http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2012/10/way-to-improve-sadhana_17.html

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

Baba

"Kare ja'tra' halo shuru, bhule gechi se katha'..." (699)

Baba, when exactly my journey started I do not know; it is not in my mind. I have completely forgotten the day when my journey towards You started. Since many lives, You have been attracting me - step by step. By Your causeless compassion, I am moving in that divine liila - reducing the radius gradually and coming closer & closer to You.  

How much I suffered on the way and, how many thorns pierced my feet and hindered my forward movement on the path - that I do not remember. Those memories are not in my mind.  

On the journey towards You, by Your grace, I crossed the torturous fiery blaze of the burning desert. And other times I got totally drenched from the pouring rains of the thunderstorms. But, no matter what the obstacle, You always blessed me with the strength and perseverance to move on. Baba, You are so gracious, You are always bringing me close to You.  

So many spring seasons and their beauty have come and I got intoxicated by that attraction. And in Your longing, in Your divine attraction, You filled my heart with devotion. O' my Dearmost, I sang Prabhat Samgiita and kiirtan with heartfelt yearning and longing. In this way my life has passed - sometimes in dark moments and sometimes in effulgent ones. But through it all, gradually I have reached close to You, under Your shelter. Baba You are so gracious. Baba, You are my everything...

Old Hindu Dogma Getting New Colour in Ananda Marga

Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2012 10:21:54 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Shankar Basu ......@basu.net...
Subject: Old Hindu Dogma Getting New Colour in Ananda Marga

Baba
           

== OLD HINDU DOGMA GETTING NEW COLOUR IN ANANDA MARGA ==

Namaskar,
A new "development" is taking place in our Marga.

One new dogma is piggy-backing itself on top of an existing one. In that way, this new dogma has been born.

Specifically, the existing Hindu dogma of shraddhanjali or punyatithi has been redecorated and given a place in Ananda Marga - not just in the form of so-called mahaprayan but also as an annual death day ceremony for Ananda Margiis who have passed away.

Unfortunately this has become a general trend in our Ananda Marga society.

Some may think this is something glorious, but when it runs contrary to Baba's teaching, then there is no question of it being something good. Rather it is a dogma that should be removed.

NEW DOGMA:

TURNING THE DEATH OF THEIR DEAR RELATIVE

INTO AN ANNUAL DEATH CEREMONY

Since 1990, there have been innumerable cases wherein margii families choose to observe the anniversary of the death of their cherished relative.

For instance, someone dies on July 1st, then the prescribed system is to mourn and observe death death for no more than 12 days. That means, by 13 July, all public ceremonies and gatherings related with the mourning of the deceased must be completed. That is Baba's system.

But some families are opting to celebrate the death for years and years, by honoring the anniversary of the death each year on July 1. They mark those celebrations by reciting shlokas, distributing food and clothes, and garlanding the deceased margiis's photo etc. Just as is done in the Hindu dogma of punya tithi / shraddha.

To some naive persons this may sound "honorable" or "respectful", but it is totally 100% against Baba's system.

BABA'S SYSTEM:

12 DAY MOURNING PERIOD

Of course we all know that Baba has firmly declared in Caryacarya that the period of mourning shall be 12 days - no more.

Baba says, "The period of mourning should not extend beyond twelve days." (Caryacarya - 1)

Thus to observe an annual death day ceremony is against Baba's guideline and against His wish.

NOT PLEASING GURU

However, certain families justify that when so-called mahaprayan is observed every year as shraddhanjali (dogmatic Hindu shraddha ceremony) in Tiljala, then why can't we (i.e. the family) observe the death of our dear loved one, each year on the anniversary of his death.

They innocently think that by honoring the death day annually, they are pleasing both Baba and their deceased relative. But in true sense they are satisfying neither. Because to please Baba one must follow His teachings and to please a deceased person one must honor their wishes. And most often, in the case of a Ananda Margiis, honoring their wishes means following Guru.

Thus by observing the annual death day, neither party is pleased. The deceased is not pleased nor does Guru approve.

Yet people have fallen into this trap because that is the prevailing Hindu dogma and that is what groupists like Sarvatmananda have popularised in Ananda Marga.

This is the predicament and the new dogma that is taking birth.

MAHAPRAYAN: JUST A HINDU DOGMA

OF ANNUAL SHRADDHA (DEATH) CEREMONY

It is well known that the founders of MPD dogma treat their so-called mahaprayan program in Tiljala as a yearly shraddha ceremony.

The same Hindu dogma of "yearly shraddha" - observing the death of a human being year after year - has been named shraddhainjali and it is going on in the form of mahaprayan divas (MPD).

Each year, at so-called mahaprayan the shraddha mantra which is for general persons death, is repeated - with just a few changes. And side by food is served and gifts are given to the poor. Just like in the dogmatic Hindu shraddha ceremonies for deceased human beings.

Indeed, this is the common Hindu dogmatic platform in India. Each year, the shraddhanjli or punyatithi of deceased leaders like Indira Gandhi is performed. In that way, dogmatic Hindus garland their photo, offer food to the poor, and distribute clothing.

Since 1990, this same dogma has been going on in Ananda Marga in the form of the so-called mahaprayan occasion. Thus the so-called mahaprayan program in Kolkata is nothing but a mirror image of Hindu dogma - plus so-called mahaprayan is openly observed as a type of mourning / sad ceremony.

Whereas in AM, our annual festivals are marked by joy & celebration. No annual festival in AM is based on sorrow.

Baba says, "You may participate in all sorts of festivals which are blissful and free from defect." (Caryacarya - 2, Society chapter, point 35)

DISMAL WAY THEY ANNOUNCE "MAHAPRAYAN"

But see how the "founders" have described the dogmatic MPD program as sad and solemn, plus you will see by their description that they just copied the Hindu dogma of annual shraddha or punyatithi by doing mass feeding and distributing clothes etc.

Below is an excerpt from some of their emails that displays their typical way of describing the gathering.

"The Solemn Observation...With tears in eyes and hearts full of His memories...The anniversary of Mahaprayan of Shrii Shrii Anandamurtijii has been solemnly observed today...where His mortal remains were cremated...Central and global workers first went to His quarters to garland His Pratikrti and did Gurupuja in that vibrating room. Led by Ac. Kinshuk Ranjan Sarkar, all came to Baba's memorial ...There was mass feeding of more than a thousand poor people and about 500 persons were given new clothes...Kiirtan was made in Bengali, Hindi and English. Exactly at 3.30 pm, the Maha Kiirtan"

Over the years, this is the way or style the B group PRS has announced the gathering. And still this is going on.

As mentioned above, this very same thing happens at all dogmatic punyatithi programs across India. So this is not some glorious thing invented by certain Dadas, rather the so-called mahaprayan program is just the prevailing dogma that is common in all of India. Baba Himself condemns such antics.

Thus from top to bottom - the "solemnity" and sadness to food distribution etc - the whole so-called mahaprayan agenda is painted in the colour of the dogmatic Hindu shraddha ceremony. For that reason and more, mahaprayan is just one dogma.

Namaskar,
Shankar Basu

Note: LOW & DECLINING ATTENDANCE

This year, the Tiljala organisers are bragging that 4000 people will come to attend and that they had 1500 yesterday. So it is peculiar - because in the past, so many more used to attend, such as in the mid-1990's. Now, most just consider this to be a dogmatic gathering and do not attend. So the numbers are way down. To hide this truth, Tiljala inflates their estimates and pumps up their predictions, even then it is not an impressive number. Really, this is just a small, dwindling campaign - that is creeping toward its termination. No true devotee likes to go.